Limiting snack time

Toddlers should not be allowed to eat multiple snacks throughout the day, it will suppress appetite for regular meals which tend to be more balanced

Reviewing cafeteria schedules

Most schools regularly send schedules of cafeteria menus home. With advanced info plan on packing lunch on days when the main course is one your child prefers not to eat

Offer tots a nibble tray

Offer a nibble tray. Toddlers like to graze their way through a variety of foods, so why not offer them a customized smorgasbord!

Structure Your Family’s Eating

Although hectic schedules can present challenges, discourage eating on the run and random snacking. Instead, establish routines meals

Avoid the sweet stuff

Oatmeal, raisin bran, fat-free granola & Cheerios are good choices. If child is used to sugary cereals, gradually mix in healthier cereals while reducing sweeter stuff

Breastfed infants and weight gain

Though they tend to have rounder more developed cheek muscles developed from sucking, breast fed infants gain weight at a slower rate than bottle fed infants especially after 6 months of age.

Timing for snacks

Try to set times for snacks and meals. Do not serve snacks when it’s almost time for a meal. If a child has a diminished appetite during a meal, he may not be too willing to eat during meal times.

Toddlers are unpredictable

Toddlers tend to be unpredictable eaters. Growth spurts, painful teething, and toddler toilet training all contribute to their unpredictable food intake.

The truth about food allergies

There is no cure for food allergies. They may go away by themselves, but in the meantime the only way to overcome them is to avoid the food altogether.

 

Toddlers and eating fruit

Fruit kebabs are a lot more fun to eat than plain old fruit. Use flavored yogurt or low-fat chocolate pudding for dipping.

Mini-foods are a maxi-hit

Mini sized food is always a hit.Look for mini-pitas that you can stuff and sandwich wrap cut into bite-size pieces

Calories and toddlers

The average toddler needs about 1300 calories a day. Rule of thumb is toddler will need 40 calories each day for each inch of his height.

Milk and iron deficiencies

Cow’s milk is low in iron. Drinking a lot of cow’s milk (more than 24-36 oz) also can put a child at risk of developing iron deficiency.

Serving sizes for toddlers

The typical serving size for a toddler is about 1/4 of what an adult size serving would be.

Portion control

The idea that children should sit at the table until they ‘clean’ their plate is out of fashion. Instead, children should be taught to recognize when they are full and then stop eating.

Toddler requirement for calcium

Toddlers should have 500 milligrams of calcium a day. This requirement is easily met if your child gets the recommended two servings of dairy foods every day. An important part of a toddler’s diet, milk provides calcium and vitamin D to help build strong bones.

Replacing breast milk with whole milk

You may like to replace breast milk or formula milk with whole milk, when the child is one year old. Low fat or skim milk is not good for children as they need fat for growth.

How to manage diarrhea

To manage diarrhea: BRAT: Banana, Rice, Applesauce, Toast, Yogurt.

Milk for babies, toddlers and kids

Breast milk has all the appropriate vitamins and minerals for babies. Best choice of milk for children after age 1 is ‘whole milk.’ It is recommended to switch to low-fat milk after age 2 or 3.

Emotional attachment to food

Toddlers develop an emotional attachment to food. Do not overfeed your toddler with snackfoods and other unhealthy foods. This will help develop good eating habits for life.